Sky Italia, part of pan-European pay-TV service Sky, will co-produce the adaptation of Joseph Heller’s anti-war classic and air it exclusively in Italy. Channel 4, which is an advertiser-funded pubcaster, has acquired British rights to the limited series, which marks Clooney’s first regular TV role since NBC’s “ER.”

Sky is joining Paramount Television, Anonymous Content, and Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures as a “Catch-22” co-producer. The hotly anticipated series, planned to be ready in 2019, will air in the U.S. on Hulu, which commissioned the show.

“Catch-22” is produced by Clooney and Heslov along with Richard Brown (“True Detective”) and Steve Golin (“Spotlight”) from Anonymous Content. Luke Davies (“Lion”) and David Michod (“Animal Kingdom”) are co-writing and executive producing the series alongside Clooney. Ellen Kuras (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) will be co-directing the series with Clooney and Heslov.

Related

The six-episode show, set in Italy during World War II, centers on Capt. John Yossarian, a U.S. Air Force bombardier who while trying to complete the number of flight missions required to go home, must contend with an absurd bureaucratic rule.The so-called Catch-22 rule specifies that a man is considered insane (and therefore ineligible for combat) if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and therefore voids the ineligibility. The term has become synonymous with an illogical or paradoxical situation.

As previously announced, Yossarian will be played by Christopher Abbott (“The Sinner,” “Girls”). Hugh Laurie (“House,” “The Night Manager”) has been cast as squadron officer Major de Coverley, who “dances to the beat of his own drum” and spends his time pitching horseshoes, listening to jazz, and mixing himself martinis, according to promotional materials.

Kyle Chandler (“Bloodline”) will play Colonel Cathcart, the commander who repeatedly increases the number of combat missions that are required before a soldier can return home. Clooney was originally set to play this part, but then decided to take the smaller role of Scheisskopf, the training commander at Yossarian’s cadet school, in order to focus more on his duties behind the camera.

Scheisskopf is being described as not very likable. “He’s not the type of person who puts his cadets’ interests before his own career. He’s ambitious, but also inept,” the materials said.

Sky Italia’s executive vice president of programming, Andrea Scrosati, said in a statement that his company is particularly proud a high-profile project such as “Catch-22” will be shot almost entirely in Italy. He added that the country “in recent years has been able to fully show its creative and production potential, even at an international level,” and said Sky was the first broadcaster to tap into this potential by producing shows, such as “The Young Pope,” that “are now recognized and appreciated abroad.”

The “Catch-22” shoot, which is being serviced by Leone Film Group’s Lotus Production arm, will take place in Sardinia and Rome.

Channel 4 Director of Programmes Ian Katz described “Catch-22” as extremely timely. “It’s hard to imagine a work that speaks more directly to the frequently absurd times we live in, and to the growing sense of individual distrust of institutions,” he said in a statement. Michod and Davies’ script “crackles with irony, anger and humanity,” Katz said.

Channel 4, which is the British home of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is contributing to some aspects of “Catch-22’s” development.

Sign Up for Daily Insider Newsletter

Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay is among the six notable industry figures who have been appointed to the Television Academy’s executive committee by new chairman/CEO Frank Scherma. DuVernay, whose recent TV credits include the documentary “13th” and drama “Queen Sugar,” will be joined on the committee by HBO programming president Casey Bloys; former [...]

The BBC has greenlit “The Goes Wrong Show,” a new series based on Mischief Theatre’s popular “The Play That Goes Wrong” stage production about a troupe that puts on disastrous plays. The stage show has transferred from London’s West End to Broadway for a J.J. Abrams-produced version described by Variety as “a broad, silly and [...]

As the Jussie Smollett saga continues to unravel, late night hosts are echoing the incredulity expressed by many by poking fun at the “Empire” actor’s alleged attempt to fake a hate crime, reportedly because he was dissatisfied with his salary. “This dude may have faked a hate crime just to get a raise?” asked Trevor [...]

Leaders of the Writers Guild of America have sent Hollywood talent agencies a proposed “Code of Conduct” with tough new restrictions on how they operate as agents for writer clients. The WGA made the disclosure Thursday night in an email to its 12,000 members, a day after announcing that it will hold a March 25 [...]

Jussie Smollett’s legal team issued a defiant statement on Thursday night, saying the “Empire” actor feels betrayed by the justice system and hinting at a political motive for his prosecution. Smollett was arrested early Thursday on a felony charge of filing a false police report. He was released after a court hearing on $100,000 bond, [...]

Fox has announced the casting of four lead characters for its multi-cam comedy pilot “Patty’s Auto,” including the eponymous Patty. Inspired by Patrice Banks’ Girls Auto Clinic, an auto repair shop with all female mechanics, the project centers on Patty, the intimidating owner of Patty’s Auto who will be played by “Straight Outta Compton” alumna [...]

NBC pilot “Uninsured” has cast four of its series regulars, with Adam Pally (“The Mindy Project,” “The President Show”) and Abby Elliott (“Saturday Night Live,” “Odd Mom Out”) playing the young married couple at the center of the show. Pally will play Dave, who is described as a “natural hype man with a good heart.” Elliott [...]